Phrase guide

pincer attack

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

An attack in which two or more forces attack from multiple sides at once.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An attack in which two or more forces attack from multiple sides at once.

A set of simultaneous attacks against the flanks of an enemy salient in order to cut off and trap the enemy in an encirclement.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: government, military, politics, war

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: кле́щи (kléšti) — attack from multiple sides
  • Chinese: 雙頭夾 /双头夹 (siang-thâu-kiap) — attack from multiple sides
  • Chinese Mandarin: 夾攻 /夹攻 (jiāgōng) — attack from multiple sides
  • Chinese Mandarin: 夾擊 /夹击 (jiājī) — attack from multiple sides
  • Czech: sevření do kleští — attack from multiple sides
  • Danish: knibtangsmanøvre — attack from multiple sides
  • Dutch: tangbeweging — attack from multiple sides
  • Finnish: pihtiliike — attack from multiple sides
  • French: mouvement en tenaille — attack from multiple sides
  • Irish: gluaiseacht phionsúir — attack from multiple sides
  • Irish: pionsúrghluaiseacht — attack from multiple sides
  • Japanese: 挟み撃ち (hasamiuchi) — attack from multiple sides
  • Japanese: 挟撃 (kyōgeki) — attack from multiple sides
  • Korean: 협격 (hyeopgyeok) — attack from multiple sides
  • Korean: 협공 (hyeopgong) — attack from multiple sides
  • Persian: حملهٔ گازانبری (hamle-ye gâz-anbori) — attack from multiple sides
  • Polish: manewr okrążający — attack from multiple sides
  • Russian: взять в клещи (vzjatʹ v klešči) — attack from multiple sides
  • Serbo-Croatian: obuhvatni napad — attack from multiple sides
  • Spanish: movimiento de pinza — attack from multiple sides
  • Spanish: movimiento de doble embolsamiento — attack from multiple sides
  • Swedish: kniptångsmanöver — attack from multiple sides